A doer, a shaker, a pattern maker. Batavian Bob Hawse has created his own variation of the favorite old rhyme, ”A butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker.” At age 71, he is forging full speed ahead continuing a lifelong habit of helping others.
Whether it`s organizing food drives for the local food pantry, delivering hospital beds to Fox Valley Hospice or gathering a crew to lay a sub-floor for a Habitat for Humanity project in Aurora, Hawse is the worker bee behind the scenes. It`s no wonder the Batavia Chamber of Commerce recently chose him Batavia Citizen of the Year.
A quiet, unassuming gentleman who prefers that attention be focused on his volunteer organizations rather than himself, Hawse has dedicated his retirement years to benefit others. ”It feels good at my age and time of life to help somebody. I`m blessed with good health and the time to do things,” he said.
Hawse retired in 1983 after 45 years as a maker of wood and metal patterns for foundry use. A self-described handyman, he shows up, pitches in and helps out all over the Fox Valley. His latest enthusiasm is directed toward a Habitat for Humanity project based in Aurora.
Habitat for Humanity is an international Christian endeavor that is devoted to building homes for families that otherwise could not afford them. Churches, individuals and businesses donate time, materials and money to construct the homes. The family selected for the project is carefully screened. They must have jobs and be willing to work on the building of their home as well as construction of the next project.
”It`s not a charitable organization,” Hawse explained. ”It`s people helping people.”
The Habitat home that Hawse is working on in Aurora is for a family whose 12-year-old son was caught innocently in gang-provoked gunfire. His injuries left him paralyzed, and he has not been able to live with his family for the past two years because their current residence is not wheelchair-accessible. Habitat for Humanity hopes to change all that with workers like Bob Hawse.
”We read an article in the paper about the project last spring and decided to attend a meeting,” Hawse explained. Not only did he and his wife, Hazel, join the Aurora project but they signed up for a church youth Habitat project to rebuild rundown housing units in Cleveland for a week in July.
”A youth from our church was going, and we decided to tag along,” Hawse said. ”It was a wonderful experience.”
Hawse worked with the kids while Hazel, no slouch when it comes to volunteer work, helped in the kitchen preparing food for the workers and doing a bit of mothering for some homesick teenagers.
”Some of the kids didn`t even know how to drive a nail,” Hawse explained. ”But they were willing to work, and that`s what makes my volunteering easy.”
For Hawse, part of the benefits in working for Habitat for Humanity is the chance for fellowship with people of different backgrounds.
”In Cleveland I worked with two inner-city youths who had their own problems at home, but here they were willing to help others. Habitat is about all kinds of volunteers pitching in to help.”
Hawse describes his role in the Aurora Habitat project as ”just pounding nails,” yet he used his persuasive skills, which are considerable, to gather a group of volunteers and lay the sub-floor of the new home on a recent cold winter`s day.
”What makes Habitat so special is that it gives a lot of different people with varying skills an opportunity to start paying back for their lives,” Hawse remarked.
Hawse is a firm believer in motivating others to help. ”Volunteering is an opportunity,” he said. ”I like to pass that opportunity around. People have varying degrees of money, talent and time. Volunteering gives everyone an opportunity for self-satisfaction.”
A good example of passing on the opportunity is Hawse`s efforts to restock the Batavia Inter-Faith Food Pantry when the shelves got low.
Gloria Fleming, chairwoman of the pantry, said the service serves 70 to 100 families a month. Last spring when the food supply was getting short, she went to Hawse for help: ”When I said the shelves were low on food, Bob answered, `Don`t worry. I`ll see what I can do.` That`s how he always responds.”
With that, Hawse put together two successful food drives in the spring and the fall that filled the pantry.
Garnering a volunteer army outside local grocery stores, Hawse organized workers to pass out lists of needed food supplies and collect donated items in carts. Shoppers could easily review the lists and choose which items they wished to donate. The response was overwhelming.
According to Fleming, Hawse also was instrumental in building the food pantry shelves and the benches where food parcels are packed and overseeing any needed renovations. Due to space problems, the pantry is looking for a new home, and Hawse recently volunteered to head that committee.
”He never says no,” Fleming said. ”He`ll just show up with his truck and haul food at holidays. He`ll do whatever is needed. He`s very modest and doesn`t like publicity, but he deserves every bit of it.”
In addition to volunteering for Habitat for Humanity and Batavia Food Pantry, Hawse is on call with Fox Valley Hospice, an organization that serves the terminally ill in their homes.
According to Mary O`Brien, the supportive service coordinator for the hospice, Hawse hauls hospital beds in his pick-up truck for delivery to patients` homes, distributes holiday meals to the families and does handy work for patients such as installing a much-needed railing.
”He also organized a yard sale at his church,” O`Brien said, ”and was instrumental in having all the proceeds, which amounted to several thousand dollars, go to the hospice.
”Whenever I need something done, I just give him a call,” O`Brien continued. ”He is one of those willing servants that you are always thankful for.”
The Batavia Congregational Church, which holds the yard sale, has long been a part of Hawse`s life. He and Hazel were married there in December, 1940, and have spent a lifetime of service in the church`s programs and Christian outreach endeavors. A reception in their honor was given recently by their four children to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. It was held at the church.
Typically, the Hawses asked that no gifts be given to them but rather donations be made to the Batavia Inter-Faith Food Pantry. More than $900 and a wide collection of food was donated in their names.
Ted Schuster, active member and twice past moderator of the Batavia Congregational Church, described Hawse as devoted to church and family.
”He`s a Depression-era type of guy whose parents didn`t have a lot,”
Schuster said. ”Nevertheless, he has always had a strong desire to help others.
”When the Plainfield tornado hit, he just showed up for a couple of days with his truck and tools, pitching in whereever needed.
”He quietly does a host of simple, household chores or handyman duties for church widows or older couples who can no longer cope with some of the irritating needs that owning a home present. He`s the guy who will fix the leaky faucet, trim a bough or replace a broken window.
”He`s great at recruiting and getting others to help. The church yard sale was the product of his imagination. He has steered the funds to help a new church get started in southeast Aurora, give Hospice a boost and generate a new program for children of alcoholics at Fox Hill Community Services.
”Because the profits from the yard sale are substantial, some members wanted the money used for our own church needs, but Hawse insists that the funds go elsewhere and help others,” Schuster concludes.
Hazel describes her husband as someone ”who sees a need and just feels a desire to help.” She and Bob are active in RSVP, a retired seniors volunteer program, and frequently drive older people to the doctor or grocery store. She volunteers in two departments at Delnor-Community hospital, and both have served on every church board there is except the one that was not, according to them, in their field of expertise. The list goes on and on.
”Each day we check each other`s schedule before heading out,” Hazels said. ”Volunteering makes for a more interesting life. At the end of the day we can share our ideas and the things we`ve done. If I`d stay home, I`d have nothing to tell.”
Entering Batavia from the south via Illinois Highway 31, drivers see a beautiful wooden sign welcoming them to the town. The sign is anchored by a flower box that overflows with red and gold flowers in summertime. The materials for the flower box were donated by the Lions Club. Hawse is a charter member. You-know-who built the box.
If you would like to help out with one of the many causes that Hawse is involved in, he would be happy to hear from you at 879-7649. Habitat for Humanity can be reached at 897-5721; Fox Valley Hospice at 879-6064; and Batavia Inter-Faith Food Pantry at 879-6476.
